If you’ve been at all tuned into the trends in the last decade surrounding diet, food, and nutrition, then you’ve probably heard at some point some expert or article that used the phrase food as medicine. In most cases, this is said by well-meaning nutrition experts who are simply trying to impress upon us the power that what we eat has on our health. But can food truly be used as medicine? Like, as in a replacement for medicines and treatments from doctors? Let’s delve into this complex issue.
The Impact of Nutrition on Health
Research has shown that whole, nutritious foods contain a wealth of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, protein, and fats that are essential for optimal bodily function. A healthy diet composed of nutrient-dense foods can play a crucial role in decreasing the risk of certain diseases. We know that the macronutrients, aka fat, protein, fiber, are critical for energy and body functioning. For example, a diet low in fiber can lead to chronic constipation, which can lead to further complications within the GI tract later on in life. We know that vitamins and minerals, the micronutrients, are absolutely critical to our health and well being. For example, if you don’t consume enough vitamin C, you will eventually get scurvy. Or, for instance, we know a diet chronically low in these micronutrients puts your body at a much higher risk for developing cancer down the line.
Disease Risk Reduction
Diets high in sugary drinks, fast food, and refined grains, on the flip side, have been linked to an increased risk of conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. These conditions are the jumping-off point for a whole host of other, potentially fatal, health problems. Heart attacks, strokes, cancer, organ failure; the list goes on. Beyond that, a diet like this will leave your body feeling lethargic, heavy, and inflamed, and likely lead to chronic conditions that will drastically decrease your quality of life. Conversely, diets rich in whole foods, particularly plant-based diets or those focused on fresh fruits and vegetables, have been associated with a reduced risk of various diseases, including heart disease and certain cancers.
Food as Preventive Medicine
Studies suggest that following a nutritious diet can enhance longevity, protect against disease, and improve overall quality of life. To make it clearer, eating a healthy diet, along with a few other important lifestyle factors, is a fantastic way to prevent disease. That is to say, greatly reduce your risk of developing illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, dementia, and everything in between. However, it’s important to note that food alone cannot prevent or treat all diseases. Just because you get sick, doesn’t mean you did something wrong. If and when you do get sick, food alone will likely not do the job.
Understanding Disease Development
Disease risk is influenced by a myriad of factors beyond just diet. Genetics, stress, pollution, age, infections, occupational hazards, and lifestyle choices all play a role in determining an individual’s health and disease risk. While food can contribute to disease prevention, it cannot compensate for other factors such as genetic predispositions or other lifestyle habits. Even more so, food cannot replace the effect of medicine.
Food vs. Medicine
With all that said, it is crucial to recognize the distinction between food and medicine. While food can support health and play a preventive role in disease, it should not be viewed as a replacement for pharmaceutical drugs. Food can also certainly support disease treatment and recovery, but let’s be clear: It will not ‘cure’ you the same way medicine can. Medicine is designed to save lives and treat diseases, and certain conditions may require medical intervention beyond dietary changes. For example, if you have a urinary tract infection, you need antibiotics. Simply pounding cranberry juice will not do the trick. If you suffer from chronic UTIs, then you can talk to your doctor about how to use food as a tool to prevent UTIs from happening. If you get one though, antibiotics it is, otherwise you risk sepsis and death.
Beware of Misleading Claims
While many foods offer health benefits and have disease-fighting properties, it is essential to be cautious of false advertising. Claims that extreme diets or supplements can cure serious conditions are often unsubstantiated and could be dangerous if pursued instead of conventional medical treatment. Do a quick search online and you will find stories of people who tragically lost their fight with illnesses such as cancer because of this. They listened to someone who promised a supplement or specific diet would get rid of their cancer and avoided conventional treatment. As you can imagine, it did not work.
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Foods with Medicinal Properties
Again, while food cannot necessarily cure you of disease, there are plenty of foods that have incredible protective effects on our bodies. Transitioning to a diet rich in whole foods can provide numerous health benefits, including greatly reducing your risk of disease. Certain foods have been found to offer powerful ‘medicinal‘ properties, including:
- Berries: Rich in nutrients and antioxidants that may protect against chronic conditions and diseases to the cells, such as cancer.
- Cruciferous Vegetables: Contain antioxidants that can decrease heart disease risk as well as many other illnesses.
- Fatty Fish: High in omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation and protect against heart disease.
- Mushrooms: Certain types may boost the immune system and help fight off illness.
- Spices and Herbs: Packed with beneficial plant compounds that may alleviate various health issues and again, protect against cancer development.
- Green Tea: Known for its antioxidant properties and potential anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer properties.
Food is Food, Medicine is Medicine
I’ll say it again louder for the people in the back: Food is food and medicine is medicine, and both are wonderful. Saying food is medicine and medicine is food robs both of these incredible things we have access to of their uniqueness. Medicine is a medical marvel and one of the greatest human inventions ever. Medicine has saved and continues to save countless lives. It is a reactionary item that we use when preventative measures, such as food, fail. It can bring you back from infection, flu, rashes, cancer, and constricted arteries in a way that food simply never will be able to do. Food, on the other hand, is so much more than just a way to keep us in good health. Food is not just fuel, it is not just (preventative) medicine, and it is not just a tool to fit into whatever the current beauty standards are dictating. Dylan MacKay, PhD in human nutritional sciences, said it best:
‘Food is so much more than medicine. Food is intrinsically related to human social interactions and community. Food is culture, love, and joy. Turning food into medicine robs it of these positive attributes… A healthy relationship with food is essential to a person’s well-being, but not because it has medicinal properties. Food is not just fuel and it is more than nutrients — and we don’t consume it just to reduce our disease risk.’
The Bottom Line
While food can certainly play a pivotal role in promoting health and preventing disease, it is not a substitute for conventional medicine. Both food and medicine have their unique purposes and benefits. Treating them like they are interchangeable, or like one can do the same thing as the other and vice versa, does a disservice to both – and to your own health. Eating a balanced, nutrient-dense diet is a fundamental aspect of living a long, healthy life, but it should be complemented by appropriate medical care when needed. So the next time someone tells you food is medicine, you can politely explain to them why this isn’t true. Food is food, and medicine is medicine, and that is a wonderful thing.
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